Inside the school's packed auditorium, Antoinette Buckner, a fifth-grader from Forest Heights Elementary in Oxon Hill, smiled and giggled as she sang and danced to a variety of tunes with performers from The Colours Traveling Teen Performing Arts Troupe.

"I enjoyed them," Buckner said of the performers.

The Colours troupe, comprising 35 county school students in grades four through 12, performed different routines in a production called "The Soul of America." The production paid tribute to 20th century African-American culture.

"The show is meant to make [the students] feel good and empowered," said Jason Cook, the troupe's director.

Cook said he formed the group as an after-school activity for youth in 1992. Students audition for admission. Requirements include maintaining a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and being involved in school and community activities.

"Talent is the last thing we look at," he said.

During the production, the troupe sang and danced to a variety of songs including "Amazing Grace" and Michael Jackson's "Thriller."

Songs about respect, learning to trust and how to get along with people from diverse backgrounds also were rendered.

Troupe member Melinda Bolton, 16, of West Lanham said the performance was a "way for [the students] to express their feelings through song and dance."

Bolton, who joined the troupe during her freshman year at Parkdale High School in Riverdale to fulfill her musical theater interest, said it's important to respect yourself.

"Be who you are and don't try to change for anyone," she said.

Bolton's troupe mate, Chris Law, a junior at Parkdale High School, said performers show the students through their music that it's important to be good role models.

Students from Beltsville Academic Center, Carrollton Elementary and Charles Carroll Middle schools in New Carrollton, Bond Mill Elementary in Laurel, Bradbury Heights and Seat Pleasant Elementary schools in Capitol Heights, Pointer Ridge Elementary in Bowie, Beacon Heights Elementary in Riverdale and Crossland High School in Temple Hills viewed the performance.